Why Study Geography, Earth or Environmental Sciences?

Why study Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences?
Emma Hargrave
Student at the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds
Emma Hargrave won the 2009 GEES Student
Essay competition, and her winning entry is
below. The full list of winners and runners up
can be viewed at http://www.gees.ac.uk
Telling people I do Environmental Science is
always met with an increasingly predictable look of
confusion, followed by a quick change of subject.
Either people don’t know what this strange degree
entails or they immediately assume I’m a “tree
hugger” that fights for protection of badgers.
Actually, I don’t blame them. I somewhat stumbled
on the degree after flicking through hundreds of
prospectuses and eventually finding it in the “related
degrees” section of geography. Without sounding
clichéd, this was quite simply a life-changing
moment, as studying environmental science has
presented me with countless opportunities.
Environmental science is a relatively new and
relevant discipline and this is what makes it so
exciting. You’ll soon find that dynamic issues
covered in lectures appear in newspapers the next
week, whilst lecturers are so passionate about
their speciality you feel compelled to actually do
the extra reading. Indeed, studying environmental
science will allow any student to compile the perfect
CV, in a way that not just ticks the right boxes, but
also allows personal growth and fulfilment. A bold
statement perhaps, but let me explain.
One of the main skills an employer looks for is the
ability to work well in a team. What better way to
practice this than through the joy that is field work.
You’ll soon realise that this will entail being cold,
wet and wishing you had bought that extra pair of
gloves to prevent the onset of frostbite. Whether
this involves taking 300 noise measurements at a
wind farm, or crossing a marshy threshold with only
two pairs of waders between six, the skill of team
working is soon picked up. Indeed, week-long field
trips in isolated youth hostels are the perfect setting
for the beginning of lifelong friendships.
The ability to adapt and cope with different
situations is another skill high on employers’ lists
and a necessity in everyday life. As environmental
science is an interdisciplinary degree, there is
prolific opportunity to build on this. Geologists,
physicists, mathematicians, chemists, biologists,
social scientists, philosophers and economists
all marvel the wonder that is the environmental
scientist – the scientist that moves across all
subjects, breaking all boundaries. Maybe I’m
getting a little carried away, but my point is that
environmental science is a discipline that requires
knowledge in all areas, allowing new and useful
perspectives. Take for example land degradation
in the Kalahari Desert. Sustainable solutions can
be found, not just by analysing the soil, or just by
studying local behaviour, but by combining both
physical and social knowledge.
The biggest problem of studying environmental
science is perhaps for the very reason that makes
it so interesting. With such a broad range of
disciplines and issues covered, how is one supposed
to decide which to specialise in. As the end of
second year approaches students frantically pour
over their notes in an attempt to make a decision
on their dissertation topic. It’s not a lack of interest
in the subjects but rather too much interest in
everything. Those lucky few that have already
decided their lifelong ambition is to study microinvertebrates
in upland streams are very much
envied.
Such is the passion that environmental science
instils in its students. I challenge any environmental
scientist to say they haven’t felt passionate about
one issue in lectures. Something as seemingly
mundane as heather moorlands can spark furious
debates, whilst the effects of climate change are
so far-reaching that everyone is influenced. Not
only do students feel passion, they feel motivated
to change things. Symptoms such as compulsion
to turn off all lights, re-use plastic bags and lobby
councils to reject airport expansion are often
experienced. Friends and relatives may notice
changes in the student’s behaviour, with increased
interest in rock formations, and constant attempts
to predict the weather.
Planet issue 22 6
September 2009

I feel privileged to have such an interest in my
degree. Friends on other degrees are bewildered
when I’m motivated to write a 2000 word essay on
the Montreal Protocol or get excited at the thought
of visiting the Eden Project. They often complain
of their dull lecturers and their monotonous
presentations. In contrast, the variety of lecturers
within environmental science is enough to enthral
any hung-over student at nine in the morning.
From ecologists with nose piercings to highly
intelligent researchers with names on a Nobel prize,
you are sure to be inspired. It is not uncommon
for such lecturers to create an enthusiasm for a
particular career. When a researcher tells of his
near-death experiences in an African rainforest you
cannot help but want to follow in his footsteps.
Career opportunities are endless for environmental
scientists, especially in this time of environmental
awareness. Companies are scrambling over each
other to hire the most qualified graduate to oversee
their environmental impact. With the effects of
climate change already affecting the UK, councils
are creating armies of sustainability officers and
ever more money is being invested into new
technologies. Some environmental scientists seek
the adrenaline rush that can only be gained through
flying through storm clouds in reinforced aircraft.
Or how about working on a tropical island, helping
local communities to cope with the onset of rising
sea levels?
In trying to conclude why one should study
environmental science I find myself lost for words.
How do you write down on paper how a degree can
create so much passion and dedication? How do
you explain the effect it has on your personal beliefs
and values? Quite simply environmental science is
not just a degree, it is a lifestyle – one that I could
not recommend more highly.
Emma Hargrave
Planet issue 22 7
September 2009